1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-ventilating shoe and, more particularly, to a shoe having an air-pumping member, an ankle-protecting member, and an automatic air controlling member connected to both air-pumping and ankle-protecting members, whereby the shoe can be continuously ventilated and can automatically control air-suction and air-expulsion of the ankle-protecting member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently known ventilated shoes comprise elastomeric and resilient pads which are made of soft materials such as sponge or rubber and contain a plurality of holes in the sole and in the heel of the shoe in order to increase foot comfort. In these types of insoles, it is very difficult to remove moisture and the odor produced as a result of moisture which collects in the shoe due to foot sweating caused by poor shoe ventilation. Since most people use their shoes for long periods of time, it is essential to properly maintain and ventilate the shoes in order to avoid foot diseases, such as for example, water-eczema.
Various types of shoes having an ankle-protecting member are known in the art. However, the ankle-protecting member has an air bag which can be pumped full of air by a pump and in which air is expelled by hand so that it is difficult to use and damages the ankle due to a tight squeeze of the ankle-protecting member.
According to a report of the American Podiatry Association, 75 percent of the males and females stand or walk for 4 hours a day. Such foot stress leads to foot problems, particularly in males where athlete's foot fungi and the odor associated therewith have become a common problem.
In order to avoid such problems, Korean Utility Model Publication 90-9004 issued by the present inventor, discloses a ventilated military shoe which includes lower, middle, and inner soles for introducing air and a heel portion for discharging air, respectively. However, this shoe is difficult to construct, expensive to manufacture, and does not ventilate as effectively as the instant invention.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,981 issued by the present inventor, discloses a shoe ventilation system which includes an upper portion having an air inlet and an air outlet disposed in the upper portion thereof, respectively, and a one-way air flowing member disposed in the lower portion thereof, an inner sole having a plurality of holes in the sole portion thereof and a plurality of channels and an arch extended portion disposed in the bottom surface thereof for communicating with the air flowing member, whereby the interior of the shoe can be continuously ventilated. However, this shoe is complicated in structure and cannot control air-suction and expulsion by itself.